


Absolution

by obisgirl



Category: Alphas, Heroes - Fandom
Genre: F/M, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-08-06
Updated: 2012-08-06
Packaged: 2017-11-11 13:09:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/478892
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/obisgirl/pseuds/obisgirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Emma takes it upon herself to try and make things better between Claire and Gabriel.  </p>
            </blockquote>





	Absolution

**Author's Note:**

> Spoilers: Heroes, Vol. 6 “A Brave New World”  
> Disclaimer: Alphas characters come from creative geniuses Zak Penn and Michael Karnow. Heroes’ characters are a property of NBC’s and Tim Kring’s. This fanfic is for pure entertainment. 

Dr. Rosen watched Claire curiously as she tried to get comfortable. This was their second official session together. He wasn't even expecting to see her that afternoon but she arrived suddenly, saying that she needed to talk.  She said that normally she would talk to Peter but he was a part of the problem and she wanted to talk to someone unbiased.  Until Claire showed up, it had been a relatively calm morning.  

  
Finally, Claire settled down but Doctor Rosen could see that she was still antsy.  “I've had a really bad day,” she said finally.   
  
Rosen smiled sympathetically. “That happens to all of us, Claire,”   
  
“I know, but I've had  _really_  a bad day,” she continued, ”It all started when I met Peter and Emma for lunch,”   
  
“Who's Emma?” he ventured.   
  
“Emma is a friend of Peter's, she and Peter work at the same hospital,” she mused,  “Anyway, I thought I was only meeting Peter and Emma for lunch but someone else joined us who I did not want to see,”   
  
Claire sighed heavily, anger clouding her eyes.  “Why they felt the need to bring him to lunch, I will never understand!” she fumed.    
  
“Calm down, Claire,” Rosen soothed, “Who did they bring to lunch that upset you?”   
  
“Only the guy who sliced my head open, took my ability, the same man responsible for murdering my parents and spent years chasing me because I was 'special.'“ Claire ranted, “I honestly don't know what they were expecting to accomplish...”   
  
“Who is this again?”   
  
“Sylar!” she cried, “Although, he's supposedly reformed now and best friends with Peter and Emma,”   
  
Rosen sat back. Sylar.  It was the name of a German watch but that was all Rosen knew. But clearly, Claire had a deeper, dark history with this man that Peter and Emma wanted to fix.  “Okay, I'm lost. Who is Sylar again? Is he like you?”   
  
“He has an ability, if that's what you mean,” Claire added, “but he's  _psychotic_!”   
  
“That's your clinical diagnosis?” he joked.   
  
“He's dangerous, manipulative...I know Peter wants to believe that he's changed but I don't see that,” Claire cried,  “He killed Nathan,”   
  
“Who's Nathan?”   
  
Claire rolled her eyes. “My biological father, Nathan Petrelli,” she said, “Not only that, my grandmother and dad spent months covering up Nathan's death.  They made Sylar believe that he was Nathan. How sick is that? I loved the man who killed my father,”    
  
“And now Peter wants you to fix things with him,” Rosen reasoned, removing his glasses, “Well, this is very complicated, indeed. Would you mind recapping what happened at lunch?”   
  
Claire sighed heavily.  “None of it is pretty,” she added.   
  
~~  
  
_Claire didn't get to see Peter as often as she liked, but was more than happy to drop what she was doing to meet him and Emma for lunch.  She didn't know much about the woman Peter saved from Doyle at the Sullivan's Carnival but she was important to him.  Peter chose the spot, a nice Italian deli not far from the hospital he worked at.  Peter was talking quietly with Emma when Claire arrived.  He smiled up at her and Emma turned around, hugging her._  
  
“Claire, I'm glad that you could make it,” Emma said, ”We haven't had the chance to interact very much since the carnival,”   
  
“I know,” she mused,  “but thankfully since Doctor Rosen's big alphas speech, things have gotten better,”   
  
[“You talk about me with Peter?” Doctor Rosen interrupted, and Claire glared at him. “Sorry. Continue.”]  
  
_“How are you?” Peter asked._  
  
“I'm good,” she smiled, looking only at him.  “Have you guys ordered already?”   
  
“Not yet,” Emma said, “we're expecting a fourth,”   
  
_Claire frowned. She thought this was an exclusive invite, but obviously it wasn't. “Okay,” she mused, picking up a menu.  “Who else are we expecting?”_  
  
“Emma,” a voice started, and Emma stared up at the man standing behind Claire.  She froze, recognizing that thick voice and turned around slowly.  Gabriel smiled down at her. “Hello Claire. I wasn't expecting to see you here,”   
  
“Neither was I,” she said pointedly, glaring back at Peter.  “This is who you invited to join us for lunch?!”   
  
Peter looked at his menu, averting his eyes from her.  “It wasn't Peter's idea,” Emma said, “I've been talking with Gabriel the past couple of days and he told me how much he wanted to make things right with you, Claire,”   
  
“And you went along with this?” Claire asked, still staring at Peter.    
  
“He's not that all bad anymore,” he defended.   
  
“You would say that because you spent hundreds of years with him in Matt's head,” Claire retorted,  “Sorry, but I don't share the same sentiment,”   
  
[“Sorry to interrupt again, but who is Matt?” Rosen added.   
  
Claire sighed. “He's a friend of ours. He can read your thoughts.” she said, “May I continue?”  
  
“Yes, of course.”]  
  
_“Claire, we need to get passed this,” Peter continued, “Gabriel's different now and he regrets what he did to you,”_

 

“ _Just me?” she mused, raising an eyebrow, “Don't forget Peter, he killed Nathan, your brother,”_

 

[“Wait a minute!” Rosen interrupted, “Peter is your Uncle?!” 

 

Claire looked at him weird.  ”Yeah, who did you think Peter was?” 

 

Rosen shrugged. “I don't know...your boyfriend or...you two don't act like uncle and niece,” 

 

“I wasn't raised in the Petrelli household.  I only found out about my biological father three years ago and I didn't know Peter was my Uncle either but that's not the topic of this therapy session,” Claire explained.] 

 

“ _Claire,” Sylar added,  ”I know I hurt you and I can never fully make it up to you because of what I did but I sincerely want to make things right with you,”_

 

_Claire only stared blankly at him.  She had been through so much pain and suffering because of this man and he had the gull to ask her forgiveness?  And Peter! She could not believe that he was falling for this redemption act.  ”You're right,” she retorted, “You will never be able to make it up to me and you know what, Sylar? I'm okay with that.  Because you've done too much, not just to me, my family...”_

 

“ _I'm different now Claire. I'm not that same person anymore,” he said.  ”Please,”_

 

“ _Claire,” Peter interrupted, “Gabriel's different now.  He's good,”_

 

_Claire shifted her focus to Peter. Of all the people, Peter was the last person she expected to defend Sylar. “What is this Peter? He saves Emma from Samuel and all of the sudden, you and Sylar are 'bbff'?” she retorted._

 

_Peter sighed.  ”I know it's difficult for you to understand but Gabriel and I have had time to work through our differences,” he reasoned,  ”and I truly believe that he's changed,”_

 

“ _Because you were trapped with him in Matt's head for a hundreds of years?” Claire mused._

 

“ _Claire,” Emma interrupted, talking for the first time since Sylar arrived at the table.  ”I know that I don't have the benefit of having known Gabriel for a long time but I do know that he is trying to change his life and deserves a second chance,”_

 

_She smiled wistfully at Emma.  ”It's nice Emma that you're optimistic and I hate to crush that but there isn't going to be a resolution here,” Claire said, looking again at Peter, “And I can't forget everything that he did to me overnight,” Claire turned her attention to Sylar, “and you're not getting absolution from me,”_

 

Doctor Rosen didn't know what else to say but one thing was clear, Claire had a deep-seated hatred towards Sylar and for good reason.  However, as her psychiatrist, he wasn't sure if he could offer her solace or advice. Perhaps Claire would always hold onto her anger towards Sylar but he felt that wasn't the reason why she dropped by; and maybe, Claire was the one who needed absolution.  

 

“I don't know what I can tell you Claire,” Lee offered,  ”This man hurt you deeply...you have every right to want to hold onto that anger but I think in this case, the best thing, is to let it go,” 

 

Claire shook her head.  ”I can't forget what he did to me,” 

 

“I know you can't and you're probably going to have hundreds of years to hold onto your anger but is it really worth it? He asked for your forgiveness, Claire,” 

 

“He killed my parents, sliced my head open and took my ability. I can't feel anything because of him!” Claire cried.  ”How can I forgive that?”   
  
Rosen sighed. Not everyone deserved forgiveness but sometimes, absolution was the only way to move on. “To forgive is an act of compassion, Claire. It's-it's... it's not done because people deserve it. It's done because they need it,” he said.   
  
“What if I can't forgive him,  _ever_?” she continued to cry, “I didn't ask to be born this way.  I can heal but I can't feel anything because of him!”   
  
Lee's heart broke for Claire.  It was easy to see how badly Sylar scarred Claire, not just physically but emotionally as well.  Still...he stood up suddenly, kneeling beside her. “I can't imagine the pain this man put you through Claire but you have to at least consider, maybe your only option for peace, is to forgive,” he said.   
  
Claire looked at him then tilted her head, noticing a figure in the doorway.  Lee frowned, turning to look too.  

“How did you even  _find_  me?” Claire cried, disgusted to have to see his face twice in one day. 

 

Gabriel sighed, glancing at the doctor.  ”Peter told me where you might be,” 

 

“Of course he did,” 

 

Doctor Rosen stood up, studying Sylar and then looked back at Claire.  He asked her if she wanted to be alone and she gestured that he could stay.    
  
“I'm sorry if I was interrupting something but I couldn't leave things like that,” Gabriel continued, walking closer towards Claire, who immediately tensed up causing him to back away. “I don't know what else to say to you Claire other than I'm sorry,” 

  
Claire didn't say anything.    
  
“The truth is Claire, we're both broken,” he continued,  “My real father killed my mother and left me with a stranger...and when I found him again, he was dying from cancer. He didn't know what I could do but when he did, he tried to kill me so he could start over,”   
  
Still, silence.    
  
“I suppose in a way, Nathan did the same thing with you when you were a baby. Except the difference between is that he thought you were dead and my dad simply abandoned me,” Sylar mused.    
  
“We've been through this,” Claire retorted, “If you think we're alike, you are dead wrong,”   
  
“Nathan was a jerk...Peter knew it, you knew it but you still forgave him,” he noted, staring at Claire, “Don't I deserve the  _same_  forgiveness?”   
  
Rosen looked curiously at Claire.   
  
“I know you're different now,” she said finally, “but I can't change the way I feel about you overnight. You hurt me,”   
  
Gabriel sighed, glancing at Doctor Rosen, almost saying ' _so much for your help_.' He turned, looking at Claire again.  “I had to at least try,” he mused.   
  
“Gabriel,” Claire started as he turned to leave, “One day, it's not going to be tomorrow or next week but one day, maybe I can forgive you. But I need time,”   
  
He grinned, “I guess I'm lucky then because  _ **time**_  is all we have,” he said.  ”But the hope of receiving forgiveness from you, Claire, is a start. Thank you,”

Claire didn't say anything else, feeling her nerves start to calm. Nothing could ever erase the pain she felt but 'time' hopefully, would help her heal.  
  
The End 


End file.
